The present invention relates, in general, to motor vehicles and, more specifically, to methods and apparatus for designing motor vehicles.
The design of automotive vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, etc., usually begins with the development of various sketches and drawings showing the shape of the various body panels and other components of the vehicle. Three-dimensional clay models and, more recently, computer generated models, are then created to provide a visual image of the proposed vehicle design. Changes to the shape of the vehicle at this stage entail time consuming, highly skilled labor, even if such changes are on the order of only several millimeters in a particular dimension.
In order to design and market a successful vehicle, an accurate assessment of consumer needs, the market and the competition with regard to size and styling of a vehicle, among other factors, must be determined at an early stage of the vehicle design. Typically, models, known in the industry as xe2x80x9cbucksxe2x80x9d,are constructed to simulate a particular body component or vehicle section, such as the interior passenger compartment of a vehicle, the exterior shell, trunk, engine compartment, undercarriage, etc. Such bucks are designed for a specific vehicle and any changes to the parts thereof require additional labor and time. Furthermore, a number of identical bucks or test stands are designed for each different vehicle model made by a particular manufacturer for use by various design and engineering personnel.
Ergonomics, or the interaction of the vehicle with the user, is becoming an important factor in the design of automotive vehicles. Ergonomics involves the spatial relationship of various components with each other and the user, such as the driver or passenger of a vehicle. In order to provide a comparison of various ergonomic factors, a number of different bucks would be designed, each having a different spacial relationship of components. Consumers sit in or view each buck and provide their opinions in response to detailed questions relating to various facets of each design. This information is utilized by the vehicle manufacturer to develop a new vehicle or to refine an existing vehicle.
In order to expedite the design of a vehicle and to adequately assess all of the ergonomic and other factors associated with the design of a vehicle, attempts have been made to provide universal bucks which are adjustable in size and shape so as to enable a number of different designs to be tested in a time efficient manner. One such attempt by some of the inventors of the present application resulted in the development of a computer controlled buck which incorporated a seat, steering column, instrument panel, gear shifter, floor pan and front and rear seats. Most of the above-named components were variably adjustable in position in up/down or fore/aft directions as well as being adjustably positionable laterally across the width of the test buck. While this buck was effective in evaluating various vehicle interior designs and spatial relationships, it did not incorporate any exterior body panels which would lend it to testing of entire vehicle shapes, both interior and exterior, as well as how such exterior body panels interact spatially with the internal vehicle components and/or passenger.
Certain of the Applicants then devised a programmable vehicle model, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,704, which includes the aforementioned adjustable components or assemblies mounted within a complete simulated vehicle including telescoping and expandable/retractable body panels to simulate the complete exterior body surface of a vehicle. While the programmable vehicle model has proven successful, it has been discovered that further enhancements could be made to it to provide greater versatility or adjustability of certain components to enable the position of certain components within a vehicle to variably adjusted to aid in the design process.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a programmable vehicle model in the form of an entire full-size vehicle in which substantially all of the vehicle components are provided with enhanced adjustably in position with respect to each other to create different vehicle shapes and component spatial relationships. It would also be desirable to provide a dimensionally adjustable vehicle component for use on a stand alone, individual basis or as part of a vehicle subassembly to provide adjustability in position of various portions of the component with respect to each other and/or to adjacent components to create different components spatial relationships.
The present invention is a programmable vehicle model which includes vehicle components which are dimensionally adjustable in some or all of the up/down, fore/aft and cross car directions.
The programmable vehicle model includes a platform on which various panel support structures are mounted. A plurality of vehicle body panels are mounted on the support structures in a vehicle body position to simulate a full-size vehicle body. At least certain of the body panels and/or interior components are formed of a plurality of sections which are mounted in an overlapping, telescopingly adjustable positional relationship. A drive means, mounted on at least one of the panel or component sections, adjustably positions the sections with respect to each other at any selectable position to vary at least one of the height, width and length of the overall body panel or component position.
A control means executing a stored control program is provided for controlling the drive means to vary the position of the body panels and/or vehicle components.
A cross car carriage formed of a plurality of movable plates is mounted on the platform and is movable in a lateral direction by the control means to any desired position. A fore/aft carriage formed of another set of movable plates are slidably disposed on the cross car carriage plates to provide controlled fore/aft movement of various body components. Vertical displacement means are also provided for variably displacing certain body panels, such as the vehicle hood, roof, trunk, and certain components, such as the vehicle seats, floors, instrument panel, steering column, center console, and accelerator and brake pedals, in vertical or up and down directions. Horizontal displacement means are provided for variably displacing various body panels and components including the instrument panel, accelerator and/or brake pedals, steering column, seats, front and rear floors, hood, trunk and roof panels and the center console along horizontal axes extending fore/aft and cross car or laterally along the vehicle.
An exterior body panel, such as a door, roof or hood, is formed of a plurality of telescopingly overlapping sections which are configured such that the plurality of sections of each body panel present a solid exterior surface regardless of their degree of overlap with respect to each other. This avoids any unsightly gaps between such body sections which would detract from the overall appearance of the vehicle.
In a preferred embodiment, the programmable vehicle model of the present invention includes a platform, and panel support means including first and second pairs of longitudinally spaced pillars, the pillars in each of the first and second pairs of pillars being laterally spaced on the platform, each of the first and second pairs of pillars being laterally and longitudinally movable relative to the platform. A plurality of vehicle body panels are mounted on the panel support means in vehicle body positions simulating a vehicle. First and second pairs of upper pillar members are each angularly and extensively mounted with respect to the first and second pairs of pillars, respectively.
A vehicle roof includes a first pair of frontmost roof frames, each carrying a frontmost roof panel, and a second pair of rearmost roof frames, each carrying one rearmost roof panel. The first and second pairs of frontmost and rearmost roof panels are disposed in a telescoping, overlapping, transverse and longitudinal arrangement to form an entire roof. Roof panel drive means are coupled to the first and second pairs of roof frames for transversely and longitudinally adjusting the position of the first and second pairs of roof frames with respect to each other to vary the perimeter dimensions of the entire roof.
Preferably, the roof includes means for longitudinally adjusting the position of the entire roof as a unit with respect to the second pair of pillars. The position adjusting means preferably comprises a pair of supports, one support coupled to each opposed side of one of the first and second pairs of roof frames. A bracket is movable on each support and connected to one of the second pillars. Drive means are carried on one of the supports and coupled to the bracket for longitudinally adjusting the position of each bracket with respect to one second pillar.
An anti-sway mechanism is incorporated into the vehicle roof structure and is formed of first and second supports carried on opposed sides of one of the frontmost and rearmost pairs of roof panel frames. A link is pivotally connected to each of the first and second supports and arranged for complimentary rotation with an opposed link. A slider is pivotally connected to each link and is movably mounted in a block. A drive nut carried in the block and coupled to the slider threadingly receives a threaded screw. A universal joint is connected to outer ends of each of first and second telescopingly extendable shafts and coupled to one threaded shaft. A gear is coupled to one of the universal joints and to one of the threaded shafts for reversing the direction of rotation of the one shafts for identical directional rotation of both of the shafts.
A centering device is provided to maintain a rearview mirror centered along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle despite any lateral width changes in the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the mirror centering means includes a bracket slidably mounted on one of the frontmost roof frames and carrying a mirror. A pair of racks are carried on adjacent surfaces of each of frontmost roof frames and engaged by a gear carried on the bracket upon lateral movement of the racks to maintain the bracket and the mirror carried on the bracket in a normal, unmoved centered position relative to the vehicle.
In another embodiment suited for use in a complete vehicle model or in a regular vehicle or in a stand alone buck, the programmable vehicle model includes a base, a first plate, means coupled between the first plate and the base for longitudinally moving the first plate relative to the base, a second plate, means coupled to the second plate for laterally moving the second plate relative to the first plate, vertical elevatable means coupled to the second plate for vertically elevating the second plate, a mount carried on the vertical elevatable means, and seat mounting pads disposed on the mount for attachment to a seat. Preferably, the seat mounting pads disposed on at least one track slidably carried on the mount. Drive means are coupled to the one track for sliding the one track with respect to the mount to change the orientation of a seat mounted on the seat mounting pads with respect to the base. The one track is preferably curved to provide a change in the angle or tilt of the seat.
In another embodiment, the programmable vehicle model includes a base, vertical elevatable means mounted on the base, drive means for elevating the vertical elevatable means, a first floor frame mounted on the vertical elevatable means, a first floor plate fixed on the first floor frame, a plurality of second frames slidably coupled to the first floor frame, with a second plate mounted on each second frame and arranged in telescopingly overlapping arrangement with the first floor plate to form a solid floor surface. The first floor frame and the plurality of second floor frames are laterally and longitudinally adjustable with respect to each other.
In a stand alone or vehicle model embodiment, the vehicle component is an adjustable toe plate formed of a base, a first floor frame carried on the base and carrying a floor panel, a toe plate angularly disposed with respect to the floor frame, and means, coupled between the floor frame and the toe plate for adjusting the longitudinal position of the toe plate relative to the floor frame.
As part of or separate from the adjustable toe plate, the programmable vehicle model also includes a dimensionally adjustable simulated wheel well formed of a housing disposed adjacent to the toe plate, and means coupled between the housing and first floor frame for independently moving the housing longitudinally with respect to the first floor frame and the toe plate.
In another embodiment, the programmable vehicle model includes a multi-dimensionally adjustable accelerator, brake and/or clutch pedal mechanism formed of a base mounted on a platform, an accelerator pedal support means carried on the base for supporting an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal support means carried on the base for supporting a brake pedal, means for moving the accelerator and the brake pedal support means laterally as a unit relative to the platform, and means for selectively laterally spacing the brake pedal support means from the accelerator pedal support means.
Preferably, a first slider is mounted on the base and carries the accelerator pedal support means and the brake pedal support means. Drive means are coupled to the first slider for laterally moving the first slider relative to the base.
Further, a second slider is carried on the first slider and directly carries the brake pedal support means for longitudinally varying the position of the brake pedal support means with respective to the accelerator pedal support means. Drive means are coupled to the second slider for moving the second slider independent from movement of the first slider.
A first track is slidably mounted on the accelerator pedal support means and carries the accelerator pedal on one end. Resistance means are coupled between the accelerator pedal support means and the first track for biasing the one end of the first track and the accelerator pedal outward from the accelerator pedal support means to a foot engagement position and for providing a slight resistance against movement of the first track and the accelerator pedal in an opposed direction.
A second track is slidably mounted on the brake pedal support means and has the brake pedal mounted on one end. Resistance means are coupled between the brake pedal support means and the second track for biasing the one end of the second track and the brake pedal outward from the brake pedal support means to a foot engagement position and for providing a slight resistance against movement of the second track and the brake pedal in an opposed direction.
A clutch pedal may optionally be mounted on a separate biased track carried on the second slider with the brake pedal support means.
An encoder is coupled to at least some and, preferably, all of the lead screws or drive shafts associated with a drive motor on each dimensionally adjustable vehicle component. The encoder provides output pulses to a controller which determines the actual position information of the component driven by the lead screw within the overall coordinate grid system of the programmable vehicle model or stand alone vehicle component.
According to other aspects of the programmable vehicle model of the present invention, a carriage or platform is provided for carrying all of the component support structure. The carriage includes at least one and preferably a pair of recesses at opposite longitudinal ends of the carriage which are suited for receiving the control circuitry and the controller used to control the various drive means or motors employed to dimensionally adjust the various components of the programmable vehicle model.
A plurality of vertically adjustable jack screws located at diagonally opposed portions of the platform provide leveling and control of the vertical height of the platform in a vehicle coordinate grid measurement system. A single drive source formed of a motor and a plurality of drive shafts are mounted on the platform and connected to gears engageable with the jack screws to directionally control the elevation of the leveling pad of each jack screw relative to an underlying floor surface.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the front roof elevatable means or upper pillar, mounted in the A pillar, is provided with a 360xc2x0 universal joint which allows the front windshield headers surrounding the front roof elevatable means extending above the A pillar to be rotatable over a 360xc2x0 arc so as to accommodate any roof panel width and length dimension as well as any longitudinal fore/aft position of the entire roof with respect to the underlying vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an uniquely adjustable instrument panel and steering column are provided with lateral and longitudinal movement as a unit and independent of each other. The unique steering column is also capable of adjustable telescoping movement relative to the instrument panel and vertical up/down or angular repositioning with respect to the instrument panel.
In another embodiment, the programmable vehicle model includes a dimensionally adjustable center console with a separately elevatable armrest. The console carries the armrest at one end such that the console and armrest are both vertically and longitudinally adjustable as a unit with respect to an underlying support surface or base in the programmable vehicle model.
A gear shifter is fixedly mounted on the console forward of the armrest. The forward portion of the console and the gear shifter are longitudinally adjustable to a selected dimensional position. A separate drive means provides independent longitudinal adjustment of the armrest rearward of the gear shifter and the front portion of the console. The armrest is also vertically adjustable independent from the front portion of the console to enable the horizontal and vertical spacing between the gear shifter and the armrest to be adjustably varied.
Finally, the programmable vehicle model includes a three part front deck lid and a three part rear deck lid, each formed of two outer panels and a center fixed panel which overlays the inboard ends of the outer panels. The entire front deck lid and the rear deck lid are independently globally adjustable in vertical, lateral and longitudinal directions. An upper centering mechanism maintains the center panel of the front and/or rear deck lid centered on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle model despite any lateral repositioning of the outboard front and rear deck lid panels during lateral adjustment of the vehicle model. A lower centering mechanism is mounted on the front and rear deck lid support structure for maintaining a center portion of a three part front and/or rear facia or bumper fixed relative to two laterally moveable outer facia portions. The outer portions of the front or rear facia move laterally with the corresponding outer ends of the front or rear deck lid.
Certain of the individual vehicle component mechanisms described above may also be provided in a stand alone device or in so-called xe2x80x9cbuck,xe2x80x9d either individually or in combination with other dimensionally adjustable components of the present invention. For example, the dimensionally adjustable seat of the present invention may be employed in a conventional vehicle by mounting the dimensionally adjustable seat to a base either secured to the vehicle or extending through an opening in the floor pan of the vehicle. Likewise, the adjustable floor may be employed in a conventional vehicle or a partial simulated vehicle, either individually and/or in combination with the seat or the adjustable wheel well and the toe plate.
Further, the dimensionally adjustable accelerator, brake and/or clutch pedal mechanism may also be employed by itself or in combination with any or all of the dimensionally adjustable seat, floor and toe plate mechanisms of the present invention.